Sonas
Words have their on-trend moments and many books are written telling us how to life the best Hygge lifestyle or how to bring more ikigai into our lives. Yet we continue to seek the grail of happiness.
Hygge is a Danish/Norwegian word for a mood of coziness, comfort and conviviality and central to Japan’s understanding of a life well lived is “ikigai”. Often translated as, ‘that which makes life worth living’ the modern interpretation has detached from its original context and is widely believed to be ‘Japanese path to happiness.’
Kefi
Very recently I came across the Greek equivalent - Kefi. It’s about joy, passion, living in the moment and apparently Greeks have lived by this for centuries, by living more in the moment and bringing joy into their lives through their passion for dancing, singing, food etc..
Sonas
All of this got me thinking about the power of just one word to shift mindsets. The Irish language (Gaeilge) has some of its own too and although the language is rarely spoken now, it is the language of Western Europe’s oldest vernacular literature, so I hope will never die.
Sonas is the Irish for joy and happiness. A strong yet beautifully soft word that rolls off the tongue. Try saying it yourself. Similar Irish words that come to mind are Draíocht (magic), Suaimhneas (pronounced sue-uv-ness) meaning peace, Saoirse (as in Ronan!) meaning freedom and Macnas, the best word for having a sense of playfulness!
In my view, the real benefit of finding your Sonas - or your kefi/hygge/ikigai) is by bringing into your daily life in small easy measures, especially during the more turbulent times. When all is well, we are living it anyway.
Bringing in the Joy
Relax pods at Preidlhof
To bring Sonas into my life I wrote the following tips for myself, some of which might resonate with you. Keep a journal beside your bed, in the kitchen, beside your computer or wherever you spend some time and write down what happiness means to you - and what you can do every day to Bí Sona (be happy).
As the beautiful and ever wise Patrizia Bortolin, Wellness Director of Preidlhof in South Tyrol, said:
“It’s about opening our hearts, this is the key to living a happy, present and joyful life.”
Here are my notes:
Slow Down - even better BE STILL - even for a short while, everyday
Listen to Nature and to music - try a Sound Bath
Take time to read
Let GO: Life rarely goes according to plan, so go with it. The more you worry about what could have been, the more let down you will feel. So let it be.
Laugh more
Be grateful: I am a worrier, especially about my children, but have learnt (with a lot of help from Brené Brown (her books and TED talks are so worthwhile) to turn my worry on its head and be more grateful for what I have. Now, when I worry about all the horrible things that could happen to my children - I switch my mindset to being grateful for having such an incredibly talented family. Stick with it - I promise it works!
Imperfection reigns and to quote Brené Brown: ‘Stay a little awkward, brave and always kind.’
*Top image: Preidlhof Deep Sea Relaxation Room